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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 16, 2013 at 11:27 pm
(September 16, 2013 at 10:57 pm)AtheistCreed Wrote: If there is even a single exception to the rule then the accuracy of the generality is nullified.
Ee, what? To generalize is to describe the makeup of most members of a particular class of thing. It does not need to be universal, as it's not purporting to accurately describe every member, merely the majority.
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 16, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Indeed. The statement "bananas are generally curved" is in no way nullified by the discovery of a straight banana.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 12:06 am
When generalizing people, and groups of people, it is quite inaccurate.
When generalizing fruits or other inanimate objects, then they can be more easily accepted.
People, on the other hand, are far too diverse and complex to generalize accurately. Yes we can make generalizations, but don't confuse a generalization such as "Christians believe in the Trinity" (which is true in the majority of cases) with a much narrower generalization such as "Christians support genocide", the one is a fundamental tenant to many Christians and is accepted widely as true, whereas the other is pinpointing specifics in scripture which many Christians may be unaware of, and will have various personal rejections and theological arguments for.
Generalizing people in a debate is not going to lead the debate in the right direction.
That's all I'm saying, essentially.
“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” - Marcus Aurelius
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 12:20 am
(This post was last modified: September 17, 2013 at 12:20 am by Cyberman.)
That whole thing about bananas (I never know when I've got to the end of that word!) was just an analogy pointing out that a single erroneous or even anomalous result doesn't necessarily invalidate the whole thing. I wasn't seriously suggesting that bananas (gah!) and people are directly comparable.
Incidentally, bananas (I hope I never have to type that word again) aren't fruits, though they can be classed as inanimate objects. Generally speaking.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 2:11 am
(This post was last modified: September 17, 2013 at 2:29 am by Lemonvariable72.)
(September 17, 2013 at 12:06 am)AtheistCreed Wrote: When generalizing people, and groups of people, it is quite inaccurate.
When generalizing fruits or other inanimate objects, then they can be more easily accepted.
People, on the other hand, are far too diverse and complex to generalize accurately. Yes we can make generalizations, but don't confuse a generalization such as "Christians believe in the Trinity" (which is true in the majority of cases) with a much narrower generalization such as "Christians support genocide", the one is a fundamental tenant to many Christians and is accepted widely as true, whereas the other is pinpointing specifics in scripture which many Christians may be unaware of, and will have various personal rejections and theological arguments for.
Generalizing people in a debate is not going to lead the debate in the right direction.
That's all I'm saying, essentially. You understand that in order to be a bible believing christian then you must believe that god was just in committing Genocide, on many occassions. And most of the theists on this forum have said some vile things in defense of god's mass murder.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 2:19 am
(September 17, 2013 at 2:11 am)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: (September 17, 2013 at 12:06 am)AtheistCreed Wrote: When generalizing people, and groups of people, it is quite inaccurate.
When generalizing fruits or other inanimate objects, then they can be more easily accepted.
People, on the other hand, are far too diverse and complex to generalize accurately. Yes we can make generalizations, but don't confuse a generalization such as "Christians believe in the Trinity" (which is true in the majority of cases) with a much narrower generalization such as "Christians support genocide", the one is a fundamental tenant to many Christians and is accepted widely as true, whereas the other is pinpointing specifics in scripture which many Christians may be unaware of, and will have various personal rejections and theological arguments for.
Generalizing people in a debate is not going to lead the debate in the right direction.
That's all I'm saying, essentially. You understand that in order to be a bible believing then you must believe that god was just in committing Genocide, on many occassions. And most of the theists on this forum have said some vile things in defense of god's mass murder.
A bible believing what?
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 2:22 am
(September 17, 2013 at 2:11 am)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: (September 17, 2013 at 12:06 am)AtheistCreed Wrote: When generalizing people, and groups of people, it is quite inaccurate.
When generalizing fruits or other inanimate objects, then they can be more easily accepted.
People, on the other hand, are far too diverse and complex to generalize accurately. Yes we can make generalizations, but don't confuse a generalization such as "Christians believe in the Trinity" (which is true in the majority of cases) with a much narrower generalization such as "Christians support genocide", the one is a fundamental tenant to many Christians and is accepted widely as true, whereas the other is pinpointing specifics in scripture which many Christians may be unaware of, and will have various personal rejections and theological arguments for.
Generalizing people in a debate is not going to lead the debate in the right direction.
That's all I'm saying, essentially. You understand that in order to be a bible believing then you must believe that god was just in committing Genocide, on many occassions. And most of the theists on this forum have said some vile things in defense of god's mass murder.
This is wrong. I know plenty of Xtians who don't give two shits about the god of the OT. They cherry pick only that which they like, which is usually just the message of love given by Jaysus. They even get offended at the notion of believing in a god like Yahweh.
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 2:29 am
(September 17, 2013 at 12:06 am)AtheistCreed Wrote: People, on the other hand, are far too diverse and complex to generalize accurately. Yes we can make generalizations, but don't confuse a generalization such as "Christians believe in the Trinity" (which is true in the majority of cases) with a much narrower generalization such as "Christians support genocide", the one is a fundamental tenant to many Christians and is accepted widely as true, whereas the other is pinpointing specifics in scripture which many Christians may be unaware of, and will have various personal rejections and theological arguments for.
It would be inaccurate to suggest that Christians, in general, think highly of the act of mass murder, but if you point out the fact that God is depicted as one in his own scripture, most of them will deny it or attempt to hand wave it.
Several Christians on this forum, however, know very well that they worship a mass murdering monster and they think that being a mass murderer doesn't necessarily make one monstrous. Explain to them that children and infants were brutally massacred and they'll be happy to explain to you why they were evil criminals who got exactly what thy deserved.
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 2:31 am
(September 17, 2013 at 2:22 am)BadWriterSparty Wrote: (September 17, 2013 at 2:11 am)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: You understand that in order to be a bible believing then you must believe that god was just in committing Genocide, on many occassions. And most of the theists on this forum have said some vile things in defense of god's mass murder.
This is wrong. I know plenty of Xtians who don't give two shits about the god of the OT. They cherry pick only that which they like, which is usually just the message of love given by Jaysus. They even get offended at the notion of believing in a god like Yahweh.
That's a good thing, though maybe they should read the bible more. Still if they don't believe in the god of the old testament then what are they being saved from, and why the ten commandments.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: A conclusion about theists on this forum
September 17, 2013 at 6:11 am
(September 17, 2013 at 2:19 am)catfish Wrote: A bible believing what?
A bible-believing <bleep>.
"Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape- like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered."
-Stephen Jay Gould
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